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Hills End by Ivan Southall—Book Review

Hills End by Ivan Southall was the Australian Children’s Book Council book of the year in 1963. I can certainly see why. I just read this as a read aloud with my children and we were grabbed by the story after the first chapter.

The story is based around seven children who go on a bush walk with their school mistress instead of a town picnic. While they are in the cave a cyclonic storm hits the town and the town is devastated. The children have to work out how they are going to survive until rescue comes their way.

The children mature as the story evolves. Although they desperately want to see their parents again, they learn how to shoulder greater responsibility, and they discover how much their parents have protected and provided a safe environment for them. Through team work and facing their fears they manage to grasp each new harrowing challenge that comes their way.

I highly recommend this book.

I believe that there is an ABC Television mini series but I haven’t seen it.

Themes in the book are:

Survival skills

Courage

Natural disasters—cyclones

Relationships

Honesty

Team work

Possible essay questions from book;

Discuss this quote, “Adrian didn’t feel brave, but wasn’t old enough to understand that a person did not have to be without fear to be brave.” (Chapter11)

Discuss this quote, ” It wasn’t fun for Francis trying to be grown up when she was only thirteen and three months old…She wanted her mother. She wanted someone else to do the cooking and the worrying.” (Chapter 12)

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Michelle Morrow is an author & publisher of homeschooling books and resources. She can be found at homeschoolingdownunder.com. Her experience as a homeschool mum mean that she understands what works (and what doesn't) in the homeschool. She wants to help homeschoolers to homeschool. Her resources, advice and curriculum ideas are there to make homeschooling easier.

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About Me

Hi, I'm Michelle. All of my kids were homeschooled. Two are currently at uni, one is at TAFE and last child is in her last year of homeschool and doing part time online uni. None have an ATAR. All of them are awesome! Read More...